Boston and Albany Railroad $1000 bond certificate 1913 (Massachusetts) - cert #2

Nice multiple vignettes of Mass state seal, bridge scene to the left, sailing ship to the right, and a steam train at the bottom. $1000 denomination. Horizontal format. Issued and cancelled. Dated 1936.  Heavy vertical fold from storage. Measuring approximately 14 x 10 inches. Rare low issuance number #2. 

The Boston & Albany Railroad was officially formed in 1868 through the consolidation (merger) of the Western Railroad Corporation and the Boston and Worcester Railroad, though the lines themselves were built earlier, connecting these cities to form a major route. 

It was later leased by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad in 1900. The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad leased the B&A for 99 years from July 1, 1900. This lease passed to the New York Central Railroad in 1914; throughout this, the B&A kept its own branding in the public eye. The NYC merged into Penn Central on February 1, 1968.

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The mainline is currently used by CSX for freight as the Berkshire Subdivision and Boston Subdivision. Passenger service is provided on the line by Amtrak, as part of their Lake Shore Limited service, and by the MBTA Commuter Rail system, which owns the section east of Worcester and operates it as its Framingham/Worcester Line.

Predecessors companies:

The Boston and Worcester Railroad was chartered 1831 and construction began in August 1832. The line opened in sections: to West Newton on 1834; to Wellesley on July 3; to Ashland on September 20; to Westborough in November 1834; and the full length to Worcester on July 4, 1835. The original single-track line was double-tracked from Boston to Framingham in 1839, and on to Worcester by 1843.

The Western Railroad was incorporated 1833 to connect the B&W to the Hudson and Berkshire Railroad at the New York state line. Construction began in 1837, and the Eastern Division to the Connecticut River in Springfield opened on October 1, 1839. The Western Division, through the Berkshire Hills, opened in sections from both ends from the state line to Pittsfield May 4, 1841, West Springfield to Chester May 24, 1841, Springfield to West Springfield (across the Connecticut River) July 4, 1841, Pittsfield to "Summit" August 9, 1841, and Chester to Summit September 13, 1841. On October 4, 1841, the first train ran along the full route.

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